HeartSciences Bets Big on AI Amid Surging Heart Disease Deaths

livemint.com:

HeartSciences is going all-in on artificial intelligence. The company recently announced that it's shifting its focus from a single AI-enabled device to a comprehensive cloud-based platform, a pivot accompanied by a major licensing deal with Mount Sinai for a suite of cutting-edge AI algorithms.The strategic gambit comes as new CDC data reveals the devastating toll the COVID-19 pandemic has taken on the nation's cardiovascular health.

In the three years since the virus first upended daily life, the U.S. has seen a staggering 228,000 more cardiac deaths than expected, a grim reversal of long-term progress against heart disease.For HeartSciences CEO Andrew Simpson, the pandemic's fallout only underscores the urgent need for better cardiac diagnostic tools.

The company's new cloud-based approach is all about democratizing access to advanced diagnostics. By making its AI tools compatible with the ECG devices already ubiquitous in clinics and hospitals, HeartSciences hopes to dramatically expand its reach and impact.Validation studies suggest the startup's algorithms can indeed flag cardiac abnormalities that standard screening tests frequently miss, especially in populations like diabetics who face elevated risk.Navigating the FDA clearance process will be critical for HeartSciences.

Still, with heart disease mortality on a troubling upswing and the pandemic's ripple effects far from over, the status quo is increasingly untenable. For companies like HeartSciences, the race is on to prove that AI's promise in cardiac care is more than just hype – and to ensure that its benefits reach those most in need.As the startup charges ahead with its cloud pivot and Mount Sinai partnership, all eyes will be on its progress.